Category: Avionics

AEA Educational Foundation Announces Scholarship Winners

The Aircraft Electronics Association’s Educational Foundation announced the names of the individuals who were awarded scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. The individual recipients are as follows:

  • Chuck Freeland Memorial Scholarship: Ashley Vance of Monte Vista, Colorado
  • Chuck Peacock Memorial Scholarship: Aubrey Vest of Enville, Tennessee
  • David Arver Memorial Scholarship: Braden Brunson of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
  • Duncan Aviation Scholarship: Dominic Valentine of Brockton, Pennsylvania
  • Dutch and Ginger Arver Memorial Scholarship: Will Dyar of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  • Field Aviation Scholarship: Darshan Patel of Brampton, Ontario, Canada
  • Garmin Scholarship: Jessica Ford of South Haven, Michigan
  • Garmin – Jerry Smith Memorial Scholarship: Ryan Siemens of Owasso, Oklahoma
  • Gene Baker Memorial Scholarship: Chloe Falkner of Standish, Maine
  • Gogo Business Aviation Scholarship: Haley Scheunemann of Murfreesboro, Tennessee
  • Jim Cook Honorary Scholarship: Connor Furst of North Haledon, New Jersey
  • Johnny Davis Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Porter of Elbow Lake, Minnesota
  • Lee Tarbox Memorial Scholarship sponsored by Pacific Southwest Instruments: Gavin Herr of Chester, South Carolina
  • Marshall Temple Memorial Scholarship: Courtney Wagner of Fayetteville, Georgia
  • Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Scholarship: Charles Helmer of Battle Creek, Michigan
  • Pat Napolitano Memorial Scholarship: Luke Douglas of Ottawa, Kansas
  • Sporty’s Foundation Scholarship: Tyler Kelly of Bonner Springs, Kansas
  • Sporty’s Foundation Scholarship: Easton Landon of Lancaster, California
  • The Stone Foundation Scholarship: Shaun Thomas Wood of Williamson, Georgia
  • Universal Avionics Scholarship: Jozef Povsic of Boca Raton, Florida

The AEA Educational Foundation annually awards scholarships to students pursuing a career in avionics or aircraft maintenance, as well as students from AEA member companies. The Foundation was created in 1990 to enhance, promote and secure the future of aviation maintenance by furthering the education of students, technicians, members of the AEA and others as determined by aviation industry needs.

Since its inception, the AEA has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships. Individuals interested in one or more of these scholarships for the 2022-23 academic year may download an application after Oct. 1, 2021, at aea.net/scholarship.

StandardAero Signs 40th Collins Aerospace Pro Line 4 to Pro Line 21 Modification for Falcon 50EX, Falcon 2000 and Falcon 2000EX Aircraft

StandardAero recently signed its 40th Collins Aerospace Pro Line 4 to Pro Line 21 modification/upgrade on Falcon 50EX, Falcon 2000 and Falcon 2000EX aircraft.  The 40th aircraft is a Falcon 50EX model and is scheduled to be completed at StandardAero’s Springfield, Illinois maintenance facility.   

Supported with a Dassault Falcon STC, the Pro Line 4 to Pro Line 21 modification removes the aircraft’s existing cathode ray tube displays and replaces them with liquid crystal displays.  The modification allows for features like LPV, synthetic vision, graphical XM weather and FANS-1/A, giving operators more functionality and situational awareness in the cockpit.  The modification also addresses display obsolescence issues that are present with the existing CRT Displays. 

“We have performed more of these cockpit upgrades than any other MRO provider in the world,” said Brian Campbell, Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing for StandardAero Business Aviation.  “All this experience has given us the ability to provide the highest quality product at a competitive price and faster – minimizing aircraft downtime for our customers.” 

StandardAero has the capability of performing the Collins Aerospace modification at any of its three Business Aviation facilities located in Augusta, GA, Springfield, IL, and Houston, TX.   

AMADA WELD TECH Introduces New Compacting Unit for Modular Resistance Welding of Stranded Wire and Cables

AMADA WELD TECH introduces a redesigned wire compacting unit for its line of modular resistance welders. Ideally suited for stranded wires, the plug and play, ready-to-install modular compacting unit provides precise, fast, and reproducible adjustment after electrode exchange.

This exciting new product replaces the previous open C-frame box type unit, with a unique closed box design that provides maximum rigidity; eliminating any flexing of the unit due to lateral forces. Ball bushes offer precise guidance of the ceramic slide and a new cross roller guide facilitates adjustment of the electrode position.

Featuring fast, precise, and reproducible adjustment of the ceramic and electrode position, using a micrometre screw, operators can now lock the ceramic and electrode position without affecting adjustment. As a result, the adjustment time has been reduced from thirty minutes down to five.

The versatile redesigned unit can be used for numerous process variants, including single compacting, double compacting, single compacting welding, and double compacting welding. It accommodates several unit options, including single closing right or left and double closing. The compacting unit also accommodates such special wire industry requirements as inline feeding, top loading, and front-loading.

The newly redesigned New Horizon modular resistance welder delivers consistent and accurate compacting, thus ensuring part quality, minimal variation, and increased production stability in automotive and electronics applications.

Resistance welding is a thermo-electrical process that uses the principles of Joule’s first law, known as Joule heating. Resistance welding-based compactors use the generated heat and a constantly-applied mechanical force to form the strands into the desired shape. As a result, when compared to the competing ultrasonic methods, the surface of a resistance welded stranded wire is even and not curled. This ensures superior part quality throughout the production process.

Kaman Introduces New AMS Family of High-Precision Non-Contact Displacement Sensors

The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products, Inc., released a new AMS family of high-precision non-contact displacement sensors ideal for condition monitoring of rotating machinery in extreme-pressure environments from 500 psi to over 22,500 psi.

Kaman Precision says AMS sensors deliver high reliability and superior performance in high-pressure environments enhancing any condition monitoring systems’ ability to measure and monitor runout, speed, and changes in machine vibration profiles. This helps to reduce risk, minimize damage and unplanned downtime due to unanticipated failures in the field.

Designed for a wide range of pressure environments, Kaman’s proprietary AMS, AMS-HP, and AMS-XHP precision sensing systems do not require a magnet and work with any ferro-magnetic target. This innovative design detects target position through non-magnetic, conductive, and non-conductive barriers making leak proof, penetrator free equipment instrumentation installations possible and economical without special magnets. With an RMS resolution down to 1 micron, and a standard measuring range up to 7mm, Kaman’s AMS sensors are compact and versatile.

Kaman Precision Products’ line of rugged AMS non-contact displacement sensors are IP-67 rated with hermetic options available. For installation versatility, Kaman’s AMS sensors come in standard IP-67 rated threaded, flanged, AS4320 pressure port compatible, and bolt head style configurations with hermetic options available. In addition to Kaman’s standard sensor configuration options, Kaman’s AMS sensors are easily tailored to meet semi-custom and custom OEM integration requirements.

ASM Rebranding as JANA Engineering

JANA, Inc., an engineering and technical documentation services company, has announced the rebranding of Aircraft Systems and Manufacturing, Inc. (ASM) to JANA Engineering.

Ean Niland, president of JANA, Inc., states that the move is the last piece of the transition plan that began when JANA purchased ASM in 2017. “We are undertaking this rebranding effort to reflect the reality that ASM has grown to become an integral part of the JANA family, and its inclusion is an important step toward achieving the overall company goals that were established when JANA purchased ASM nearly five years ago.”

Under the new name, JANA Engineering will continue to serve the Aerospace industry as a whole, with emphasis on operators and commercial carriers, component OEMs, airframe OEMs, and MROs. As the world leader in advanced avionics integration, JANA Engineering is able to offer FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) services, STC certifications, design and engineering for avionics integration, fabrication/assembly and kitting capabilities, and 24/7 AOG support.

As part of the transition, the company name, logo, and website will adopt the present JANA branding. The content from ASM’s website has been incorporated into the existing JANA site and can be found at janacorp.com/engineering. The company says these changes will not affect JANA Engineering’s ability to deliver top-notch customer service and solutions to clients and that their primary focus continues to be ensuring that all projects receive the highest level of attention and follow-through.

Constant Aviation Completes 33rd Challenger 604 Flight Deck Modernization

·         Since launching the program in 2018, 33 Challenger 604 aircraft upgraded to the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion® flight deck

·         Industry-leading experience minimizes downtime, controls cost and guarantees the industry’s most quality-driven install

Constant Aviation has completed its 33rd modernization of a Bombardier Challenger 604 flight deck. Constant Aviation says it has completed more Challenger 604 avionics modernizations than the rest of the industry combined, with 80 percent of the total, making it the most experienced installer of Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion avionics for one of the most popular super midsized aircraft.

“As the industry’s most experienced installers of Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion for the Challenger 604, we help extend the life of one of the most popular and durable aircraft, protecting owners’ investments and preserving resale value,” said David Davies, Constant Aviation CEO. “Our efficiency in installing these systems minimizes downtime, controls cost and returns the aircraft to service in the shortest timeframe possible.”

Constant Aviation’s position as the industry leader in Challenger 604 modernization is attributable not only to its experience but also its expertise. Nextant Aerospace, a Constant Aviation division, designed, engineered, certified and owns the FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck. As a result of this  expertise available nowhere else, there are no additional fees for technical and engineering support.

Additionally, Constant Aviation, through its Nextant Aerospace division, is developing a special mission variant of the STC to support the needs of government and military operators throughout the world.

Among the other features available are the Nextant-certified add-on integrated auto throttle system option and experienced Fusion-trained pilots for aircraft testing and flight crew familiarization with the system.

“With the ongoing NextGen modernization of the national airspace, aircraft don’t just need to be physically durable to continue flying: They’ll have to be compliant with emerging technology standards,” said Blake Hogge, director of Avionics Sales for Constant Aviation. “Our Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck modernization will make the Challenger 604 NextGen-compliant and keep it flying – today, tomorrow and into the future.” 

The Pro Line Fusion upgrade replaces the Challenger 604’s factory-installed CRT displays with three widescreen, high-resolution touchscreens with synthetic vision technology. The widescreen displays provide 35 percent more glass than legacy systems for enhanced data presentation and exceptional situational awareness. The package includes Synthetic Vision, Data Link, ADS-B Out, WAAS/LVP, FANS-1A, ATN-B1/LINK-2000+ and the option to add Safe Flight AutoPower. 

The durability and reliability of the Challenger 604 are renowned. When production of the aircraft ended in 2006, 365 had been built; 363 remain in operation, making it one of the few aircraft with such a high percentage of aircraft still in service 15 or more years after the end of production.

uAvionix Nabs New FAA Certification

uAvionix got the nod for certification by the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA) for its standard of safety and security on its flagship transponder, ping200X. With this April certification, ping200X becomes the world’s first FAA TSO certified drone transponder.

“ping200X is the pinnacle of years of development, as we built a product series for use aboard unmanned aircraft and across the spectrum of general aviation,” said Christian Ramsey, president of uAvionix. “With the invaluable support from Airbus Ventures and all our partners, we’re proud to be developing a line of certified products that ensure the safety of transportation now and in the decades to come.”

uAvionix has gathered a cross-disciplinary team of experts in embedded radio-frequency engineering, hardware, software, and cloud services to deliver the lowest SWaP and most affordable transceivers, transponders, remote identification transmitters, and receivers designed to serve an array of civil and other critical applications, the company says.

“Since our initial investment in 2017, uAvionix has become an important industry force, materializing their commitment to innovative and operational excellence,” explains Airbus Ventures Managing Partner Thomas d’Halluin. “Their latest wave of certifications validates the company’s critical work and reinforces Airbus Ventures’ commitment to further propelling uAvionix success.”

An autonomous Venture Capital firm sponsored by Airbus SE, Airbus Ventures says they welcome opportunities to promote their portfolio companies. ping200X was recently incorporated into Airbus SE’s High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) flight testing campaign, Zephyr, designed to give access to sustainable solar-powered stratospheric satellites and equipped with a suite of sensors to support future systems and solutions.

Safe Flight Instrument Awarded RC-135 Auto Throttle Performance System

Safe Flight Instrument of White Plains, NY announced that L3Harris has selected their Auto Throttle Performance System for their RC-135 aircraft refresh program.

Safe Flight’s Auto Throttle Performance System (ATPS) consists of two Enhanced Aircraft Performance Computers (EAPC) and four independent Synthetic Clutch Servomotors (SCS). The EAPC will host Safe Flight’s pioneered Autothrottle, Angle-of-Attack (AoA), SCAT and Wind Shear systems as well as Runway Rotation Guidance and Speed Deviation functionality as required by the Integrated Mission Systems Team at L3Harris.

“Safe Flight has been a valued partner on the RC-135 for over a quarter century and we look forward to developing the next generation of equipment to support the fleet horizon through 2050.  Both the Enhanced Aircraft Performance Computers and the Synthetic Clutch Servomotors will add operational functionality while significantly removing weight and increasing reliability and maintenance objectives,” said Matt Greene, president of Safe Flight Instrument.

 

Ace Aeronautics Earns STC for Electro-Optical Sensor Mount

Ace Aeronautics, (ACE) announced the issuance of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) # SR01957WI for the Ace Aero HD Sensor Mount for the UH-60/S-70 family of helicopters.

The Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) Sensor Mount will allow operators of the Black Hawk to add a nose mounted EO/IR sensor to their fleet of aircraft. The kit consists of a one-piece machined aluminum alloy 6061-T631 nose mounted replacement fairing, adapter plate, ILS Glide Slope antenna and connector panel. The kit was designed to accept the largest 16-inch targeting sensors down to the smaller 8-inch stabilized gimballed sensors. There are also adapter plates to accommodate three widely used EO/IR manufactures systems: FLIR Systems, WESCAM and Trakka Systems.

“We really set out to accommodate the integrator and installer with this unit,” said vice president of Business Development Tracy Stapleton. “The nose mounted fairing is a direct replacement for the existing maintenance fairing under the nose avionics shelf. It is match drilled to the host aircraft, and the adapter plate allows for rapid installation and removal of a sensor.”

“There are approximately 4,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters around the world that would benefit from an EO/IR sensor, as it brings a tremendous amount of situational awareness to the crew,” said Stapleton.

The company says the STC offers affordable and easy-to-install design and targets the soon-to-be fielded U. S. Army UH-60V program, as every one of the 760 aircraft is slated to have a sensor “A-kit” installed. “Our kit was designed as a great value to the end user,” says EVP Frank Wallace. “We are a tenth of the cost and require only about two days to install, resulting in a huge savings in procurement and labor over the OEM design.”

Turkish Technic Offers Connectivity Upgrade with its New Server and WAP Products

Turkish Technic has completed the design, production and certification process of its new server and wireless access point (WAP) products, the backbone of in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems. The company says this also marks a new milestone of in-house production in aviation sector for Turkish Technic following the production of its aviation seats and galley. Turkish Technic’s new server and WAP surpass the competition with the features such as easy integration with various software applications and providing flexibility in determining equipment configuration according to current system requirements.

Providing the option of storing media (movies, videos, newspapers, magazines etc.), internet access and sharing the content with the passengers abroad the aircraft, servers act as a media source to transform air travel into a fun experience. Developed and produced by Turkish Technic, the products are customized according to the market needs and equipped with new features. Both the server and WAP are a step up from the IFE & Connectivity market competition. The new server provides 6 TB of data storage, which is 3 times more than its counterparts. The WAP has 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual band radio.

“During these challenging times that affect aviation and the whole world, our commitment to improve our software and hardware capabilities continues,” stated Ahmet Karaman, general manager of Turkish Technic. “Being a leading MRO company in the world, we work to improve our service quality as well as the product range. With an aim to provide best connectivity products in the market, our team continues to bring their best efforts forward to achieve that goal. After developing and producing our aircraft galley and seats, we now add our servers and WAP products to the list. We would not be able to do all this without the passion and commitment of our people. I thank them for their tireless efforts and cooperation.”

Developed by the engineers at Turkish Technic, the server and WAP are designed to meet all advanced communication needs of its customers. With their full function tests and trials in extreme conditions complete, the server and WAP are approved by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).